I want to 'fool-proof' my theater for my wife/kids to use by minimizing the steps to get it going.
I have 4 HDMI devices (DVR, bluray, xbox, and apple TV) and a ceiling mounted projector with a 7.1 Onkyo receiver with HDMI input.
I want a hdmi switch that can switch automatically between the 4 devices and ALWAYS send output to the projector AND the receiver simultaneously. As far as I can tell, an automatic 4x1 HDMI switch whose HDMI output then goes to a 1x2 HDMI splitter (output 1 to projector and output 2 to receiver) should work. That way, when my wife/kids turn on a device (xbox, bluray, etc), the switch automatically senses and selects the correct input, and they don't have to worry about selecting outputs or messing with the receiver (because they won't be adjustable.
Will this work? A monoprice tech guy said you can't use a switch and a splitter in line, but if they're all 3D capable and HDCP compliant, I think it should work.
Please tell me if I'm wrong and why.

I have a Monoprice 4 HDMI switch and im only 50/50 on it. It does the job and works well with the exception of a few things.

Sometimes thes input doesnt switch with the harmony remote and when I try to manually do it at the switch it wont. If I press the input button sometimes it wont change so I have to turn it off and start over.

Also it doesnt work well with my HTPC. Unless the PC is powered on (and not just coming out of sleep mode) the screen gets all funny when the switch changes to it. This has made it so I have to power off my PC and pwer it on only after the HDMI switch is set to the input from the PC.

I returned one and got a new one but have the same problems so either it is the switch design or maybe it is me and all the HDMI switches act the same...

If you are looking for a cheaper solution then it is fine but if the input doesnt change like it is supposed to then it might not be great for the wife.

I have no other complaints about anything I ever bought from Monoprice.

I vote for the Harmony remote option. I have the 890. My wife was against it at irst but once I told her how it has a help feature that prompts you she was sold. I also renamed all the inputs on my receiver to show what was on. Like PS3 instead of Video 3.

She has not had a prob with it in years. As a bonus only have one remote now.

You want a 4x2 matrix switch with a harmony remote, autoswitching is a mixed bag.

Agreed.

Even my wife can push the "Watch TV" button and everything works. There IS an occasional glitch but usually due to the fact that my wife will hit the button and then either put the remote down pointing away from the TV or walk in front of it to sit down blocking the signal to one of the components. Fortunately, in the order things get turned on, the TV is last so it's pretty easy to fix.